I'm Feeling Lucky and Blessed

I have absolutely nothing to complain about this week. If you read my post yesterday then you know I have had a lot of good things happening in my life lately and especially in my fitness and running journey. Today was the day that Nike announced their lottery winners for the Nike Women's Marathon Random Draw. I was lucky enough to be one of the ladies chosen to run the race. Even more exciting is the fact that all of the ladies who I wanted to reunite with, meet and run with got in as well! There will be a Nike Women's Marathon Ambassador Reunion, even though it is missing a few key members (Nerissa and Renisha), but they will be there in spirit! Training begins next week, so after I settle down and wipe this perma-smile off my face I'll have to nail down my schedule. 

Nike has a very fun app this year so you can access your training plans directly from your phone. I am excited to try that out. Did any of my blog readers register for NWM? If so, did you get into the race? Hope to see you there!

I also found out that I won the giveaway for a Spartan Race entry from Sara at Words To Run By. The race in Sacramento is the week after the Nike Women's Marathon so I will be training hard the next 17 weeks! Add onto that my training for Hood to Coast and this girl has a very busy summer and fall. I wish the weather were cooler outside. One hundred plus degree days are NOT OK!

Luckily for me I will be well outfitted and geared up thanks to Athleta Roseville, the sponsor's of Hood to Coast, Nike and Mizuno. I just recently got a new RoadID bracelet too. If you haven't heard of RoadID they make inexpensive ID bracelets and products to protect you on the road. I hope I never need it, but in case something happens to me out on a run, the bracelet lets medical staff know who I am and who to contact. I think it's a must have for any runner out there. Check out their website and pick out one that's right for you. 

My Road ID Bracelet 

That's all from me right now, I'm ready to take on the weekend! What races do you all have on the agenda? How do you train in the heat and stay focused during long periods of training? 

W Is For Winners!

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope your week is going as well as mine! I have been having a great week in my running and fitness life and thought I would share a few of the fun things that happened to me this week. One of the first things is that I received my prize from winning the Day 1 photo challenge in the espnW 98 Days to Shine Instagram and Twitter contest. I received a really fun t-shirt and can't wait to proudly wear it around town! Yes, W is for winners! My shirt arrived Monday morning. I went out for a morning run and when I returned it was waiting for me at the door! Thanks espnW, I can't wait to keep entering your contest!

This week was a little cooler in Northern California. In fact, I was scheduled to have a track workout on Monday evening and when I showed up no one else was there. I checked Facebook and saw that the run had been cancelled due to inclement weather. As an Oregonian, 60's and overcast is NOT inclement weather! There needs to by lightening striking close by for me to give up on a run. Needless to say I did a three mile sprint workout anyway. It was nice to run by myself too, just me, the track and the great outdoors. I did 400's and 200's and followed them with a yoga session. In case you were wondering, this is the perfect way to start off a week!

The later half of the week I have been busy with work and getting ready for the Sacramento Capitals World TeamTennis season lately. If you are in the Sacramento area you don't want to miss out on the chance to see these world class tennis players in action! See photo below from the team last year. Yes, that is me with Sam Querrey, the number one American tennis player in the world right now! Go Capitals! For updates be sure to follow their Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you do you just might be interacting with yours truly and have the chance to win amazing box seats to the matches in July!

I am also getting so excited for the upcoming Hood to Coast Relay with Nuun Hydration! There are so many exciting things happening and great sponsors we are working with. I can't wait to try their new products and share my journey with you. The official countdown has begun and now there are only 57 days until the race! Stay tuned here because there are going to be lots of fun giveaways coming up for you guys as well! 

Happy Training!

Meet Runner and Fitness Extraordinaire - Nerissa Mata!

I've had the privilege of meeting some amazing people over the last few years. Some have been runners, fitness enthusiasts and mentors. All have been inspiring and I have had the great honor of calling them friends. Every Monday I plan on featuring an extraordinary runner who motivates me and who I know will motivate you and give you something to strive for. Their passions spark something in me and make me want to train harder, not only for myself, but also to not disappoint them. 

This week I want to introduce to you the amazing and ever so inspiring, Nerissa Mata. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario Canada, Nerissa is a true inspiration. Last year Nerissa, myself and three other girls, whose inspiring stories will be coming soon, were chosen to be the face of the Nike Women's Marathon for the Nike Women division. We were training ambassadors and had the unique situation where we trained for a race together, while living in different states and even countries. The power of social media was evident in our journeys. I learned so much training for this race with these ladies. I am so thankful I had the ability to meet Nerissa. 

Nerissa is a Health Information Technician in Toronto, but in between her day job, she finds the time to run and train to stay fit and healthy. Nerissa began running in 2011 and hasn't stopped. She began running when she read an article on fitsugar.com about adding in more cardio to your workout routines and running was an easy way she could do that and get out of the gym. 

I asked her about her running history and here is her story: 

How do you train?

Depending on time weekends and Mondays are my long distance runs with short runs Tuesday (sprints) Wed - Fri (short runs) mixed with tabata and NTC (strength training mode) and then whichever day I don't do a run on the weekend I devote to yoga or rest. 

Are you a part of a running group?

Not in a running group - was trying recently, but the schedules do not work for me.

Do you prefer running with a group or alone?

As I don't really have experience in running with a group I would say running alone is preferred for now...

• You can work out whenever you want and when it best fits your schedule. 

• You can skip the chitchat and focus on your breathing and inner thoughts. It's a great time to make mental to-do lists, brainstorm, or daydream about weekend plans. Going solo means it's really "me" time and as of recent I really need that.  

What is your favorite memory from running?

Getting to meet in person you, Renisha, Tiara and Elizabeth and Nike peeps at the 2012 Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon and running my first ever 1/2 marathon. 

She killed it by the way!

What race(s) is your favorite? Why? 

I only have the NWM 2012 under my belt so that will have to be my favorite - scenery and atmosphere was AMAZING.  I do 5K's here and there with @anywhere5K on twitter. 

What advice do you have for new runners? 

Start small, think big - Deciding to run a 5K in a month is doable with proper training.  Perhaps you can consider a 10K in 8 weeks, THEN a half marathon.  This not only gives you short-term goals, but also keeps your eyes on longer term (and longer distance) goals.

How do you use your blog/social media to influence your running? 

I've been really bad at updating my blog to be honest, but reading other running blogs and Facebook running groups has definitely motivated me to get out on days when I wasn't feeling it.  It's simply amazing how logging into any of those social media sites and seeing those running gifs/quotes turns your mood around.

How do you fit running in with your daily schedule, work, etc…?

My work is located right next to the beach and a huge park on the other side - so usually I hit those up on lunch break or after work 

Do you have any favorite running gear we should know about?
LUNARGLIDE+4 for long distance or newbies - the cushion support is like a marshmallow and the Relay Running Capri.

As you can tell, Nerissa is devoted to fitness and very inspiring. I am always amazed at how supportive she is on Twitter when I have a good or a bad day. If I need motivation she is always there to offer it. There are definitely big things in her future! If you have any questions or comments please leave them below!

You can follow Nerissa on her blog: http://ntclove.blogspot.ca/

Instagram: missfitriss

Twitter: @nerissa_ann

~Happy Training!

How I Seized the Solstice

I hope you are enjoying your weekend! I had a great time this weekend mixing up my workouts and participating in the Athleta Seize the Solstice event at the Roseville Galleria store. Athleta was celebrating the beginning of summer by holding a live yoga event in Times Square and included their stores in this event by offering free yoga classes and the opportunity to come home with a brand new yoga mat to commemorate the event and improve your practice. I enjoyed the hour long free class that started my day off right. Following that I won a yoga mat in the drawing held in-store. Athleta also provided water, fruit and snacks for after the event. One lucky lady won a new yoga outfit! Athleta is always offering amazing free classes, training and opportunities for women to achieve athletic success. If you haven't checked them out yet stop by your local store or check them out online at athleta.com.

On Saturday I went for a short run around the sidewalks of Roseville. I have been getting over a cold so it was a short run, but it felt so good to be out and about! I loved breathing in the fresh morning air and breaking in my Nike Flyknit running shoes. The color is perfect for summer as it pops brightly in the sun. I have the Hood to Coast Relay coming up in just two months, so I have to start training hard for this event. I also need to build a base for my third marathon in October! Lots of training is in my future. 

The tennis season is in full swing and Wimbledon begins tomorrow! I am so excited to start watching this event. The grass courts of Wimbledon are my favorite to watch. It may be the clean cut lawns or the traditions that make Wimbledon great. Whatever the reason, someday I hope to be able to attend the Wimbledon event and experience it first hand! Until then, I will be working for the Sacramento Capitals World TeamTennis season again and getting used to the tournament world. I love working in their social media department and watching the matches. The energy on the court is amazing! This year, in Sacramento we will have Grand Slam champions the Bryan Brothers playing on our courts! Top American players Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish will also play. It is going to be such a fun season! If you are in Sacramento in July I hope you come out to experience the matches!

If you have been following me on Instagram you have seen the photos I have been posting to the daily Instagram challenge from espnW. Today I got a little creative with their vitamin photo challenge! I am about a month into the challenge and have really enjoyed posting the daily photos and going out of my comfort zone. If you haven't joined yet you should check out their Instagram and Twitter feed and get on board! You could win daily prizes and be entered to win grand prize at the end, which is a trip to the US Open tennis tournament! I would love this prize! What are you waiting for? Start posting your photos today and inspire others!

Happy training!

Failure is a Choice

Every day people fail and the fact is, if you aren't prepared to fail you aren't really living. Failing is something that you should never be comfortable with, but it will always make you stronger and better equipped to handle failure the next time it knocks on your door.

I have chosen to look at failure as a choice. To truly fail I would have to give in to the moment where I didn't succeed. I would let it affect me in a negative way. I watched the NBA Finals tonight and they recapped the last three years for the Miami Heat. In 2011, they failed to win the championship. They came up short. It was devastating for a team that wanted to win so bad. They had the expectations of the nation on their shoulders.

But did they really fail? In my mind they used that experience to push them and drive them to practice harder so that in 2012 they would be the champions, no questions asked. Yes, they failed to win one championship, but that failure was on their journey to win two consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013. Without that first failure, they may not have had the drive to get a win the following two years. Fighting against the odds, the Miami Heat won a battle today. They won and in my mind that is what failure is, a stepping stone to success.

You have to learn from mistakes, from missteps, from missed shots. Life won't hand you success, you have to work for it. Failure will never stop me from pursuing my dreams. Whether it be in the races I compete in, training, job hunting, or working for something better, I will always keep reaching for my dreams. The word failure only takes meaning if you accept it as defeat, if you don't learn from it and choose to change your path.

Go ahead, make a mistake, as long as you're pushing forward and learning from each time you don't get the result you want, you haven't truly failed. As long as you are living, as long as you are breathing, failure is a choice. You can choose to let it end your journey or to pick yourself up off the floor and become a success.

What will you choose?

Inspired by Yurbuds!

I am always looking for headphones for two reasons. Reason number one is that I keep losing them! Reason number two is that they just DO NOT stay in my ears. Enter on the scene - yurbuds. I was skeptical at first, wondering if they lived up to their claim. I reached out to yurbuds and they sent me a pair to test and review. 

The first thing I noticed about yurbuds was the colors. They sent me the turquoise ones and they go so well with my running clothes. Feminine colors, check! After noticing the awesome color choice I noticed the box said that the pair I received was developed for women, by women. Awesome! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against male designers, but when the product is specifically for a woman it just makes sense that a women would know what women are looking for best. 

"Guaranteed to Never Fall Out," was emblazoned on the front of the box and I was ready to test this claim out. I am a runner and earphones are always falling out while I do sprints or in the middle of my long runs. It's annoying! Day one I took them on a treadmill run. Lots of bouncing and sprint work on the treadmill and the earphones did not budge. This was one happy runner! 

Next stop was weights and then plyos and burpees. Twist, jump, bounce, nothing would make these earphones pop out of my ears. I credit the sweat and water resistant silicone ear covers for this. The earbuds also have a "Twist Lock" system that means when you put the earbud in your ear (specific for each ear), you must turn it sideways and then twist it back into your ear to lock it down. It helps the earphone stay in place. After three weeks of testing I can truthfully say I have had absolutely no problems with the earbuds falling out. I've run on the track, trail, road and even taken them through a cardio class with zero problems. 

As for my constant loss of earbuds, my pair of yurbuds came with a sport carry pouch to store my earphones in so that I don't lose them. It also keeps the cord from getting knotted when not in use. We all know how annoying trying to unwind headphone cords can be! They headphones also have two sizes of silicone earphone covers to adjust for different ear sizes and a clip to hold the yurbuds in place. Score!

As an extra perk, my yurbuds were equipped with a speaker so I can take phone calls without having to pull my earphones out. I got to test this out day two at the gym when my mom called. You can adjust the volume right from the yurbuds cord where the microphone is located so it is easy to use and hassle free!

In conclusion, as I train for my third marathon this fall at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, I am going to be sporting my yurbuds headphones on every run. I am one satisfied customer! Can you tell from my cheesy smile in the photo? These headphones are great for training. If you're looking for a new pair I suggest you check out the yurbuds website or your local running store. They have some amazing new styles and have the in-ear style like I am wearing or an over the ear version as well. There is something for everyone on their site. Check them out and let me know what you think! 

~Karen

See Jane Run Race Recap

Saturday morning I woke up at 4:00 am to drive to Alameda, CA for the See Jane Run Half Marathon. Originally I was planning on staying the night in the Bay area, but plans changed and I had to wake up much earlier than I planned to drive there. I picked out my race outfit the night before and tried to go to sleep early, but it's always so hard to sleep before a race. When my alarm went off I got up, ate a quick snack and began my drive.

At the start of the See Jane Run Half Marathon

I arrived at the race at 6:45am and there were not very many ladies there yet. I picked up my race bib with no line and then checked out the race map and did some stretches and a warm-up to keep my body loose. I ate another small snack and tried to keep myself awake. The race didn't start until 8:00 am so I had some time to kill. I met a fellow See Jane Run Ambassador and we took some fun photos of each other before the race. Here I am making a face during the warm-up put on by the staff of See Jane Run. It was a fun, carefree warm-up that helped get the pre-race jitters out. 

Pre Race Warm-Up

Here is a photo of Shauna, the See Jane Run Ambassador I met before the race. We both ended up coming to the race solo and had to ask some wonderful ladies to take our photos until we met up. It was fun to meet another runner blogger. She was doing the 5k because she had a triathlon to race in the next morning, which I hear she rocked! We chatted a bit and learned about our racing history and then I left to line up for the start of the half marathon which began before the 5k race.

Shauna - Another See Jane Run Ambassador!

At 8:00 am the race began and I was off! I lined up with the two hour pace group and started the race off strong. A few miles in I was feeling a bit sick to my stomach, I'm sure the change in my routine and eating had a lot to do with it. Getting up at 4:00 am is not something my body is particularly use to and I was starting to feel it in my racing. Still, I stayed running strong and on pace for a two hour finish. We ran by the water which was really refreshing and there was a slight breeze, around mile three and beyond the day started to heat up. There was little shade on the course and my body started to feel the sun zapping my energy. My pace slowed a bit as I tried to keep running strong. I need to train in the heat more so I am more use to the draining affect of the sun. The race weather was around 80 degrees and I was making sure to stop at every water stop to keep hydrated.

Around mile nine there was a lady who had set up a stand where she was handing out cold water bottles. I was so thankful for her generosity. She wasn't an official sponsor of the race, just a woman along the course wanting to help us hot, exhausted runners out. She was an angel! This water helped me so much! A little farther on another lady was spraying her hose off her porch for runners to run through to cool off. This was so nice! I could have stayed there and kept running through it if I wasn't in the middle of a race. These ladies, even though they weren't running the race, showed what it is to be a Jane. They truly showed the spirit of any woman being an athlete and caring enough to help another fellow runner out.

Around mile 10 we crossed a bridge and they had just raised it for a boat to go under! What, really? In the middle of a race? This was definitely the weirdest thing that has happened to me in the middle of a race yet. Needless to say, it drastically increased my finish time. Below is a picture of me and the other Jane's waiting on the bridge to be able to cross. It was somewhat of a bonding experience to all be stuck together on the bridge. When it finally was lowered, we were off again.

The bridge was raised and all of us Jane's were stuck waiting for it to lower!

I powered through the last three miles of the race and picked up speed at the end. I was truly impressed by all the women who came out to run, encouraged each other on course and raced to the finish in hot weather. The race finished on the beach and the view was gorgeous. I was so thankful to be done and finally get some food, bananas, bagels and of course...chocolate! I finished in 2:15, not my personal best of 1:53 by far, but considering the bridge I had to wait for and the heat, I was happy to have just finished.

Me at the finish line!

I wandered around the expo, picked up my See's candy and champagne glass and had some fun samples from vendors. I then headed to the See Jane Run tent to pick up my race shirt, ambassador shirt and see what fun products they were debuting at the race. 

That's right, I did run for chocolate.

The finish view was gorgeous. A sunny day in the Bay can't be beat and the water looked so inviting. If I didn't have to drive so far back I probably would have jumped in the water clothes and all to cool off! I spent some time just looking out onto the water. There were a lot of sailboats out on the Bay, everyone wanted to enjoy the great weather.

View of the Bay from the finisher's village!

The See Jane Run swag bag was pretty awesome as well. I came home with a great reusable shopping bag, which will be perfect here in Ukiah where they have banned the use of plastic bags in stores unless you pay an extra fee, a cool race tee, champagne glass (which will be used for my fancy juices since I don't drink), chocolate and of course my See Jane Run Ambassador T-Shirt! The ambassador tee is so soft!

Race Swag!

Oh yes, and then of course there was the medal. It is so cool! I loved that it cam with shoelaces for a lanyard and the design is really cute. I'm going to have fun hanging this on the wall somewhere. I still haven't figured out how to display all my race medals, but I'm working on figuring that out. They need to have a special place to be shown off and to motivate me to keep training!

Awesome Race Medal!

In conclusion, the See Jane Run Half Marathon and 5k event is a blast! There were over 5000 women and a few good men, who participated in the race. It was a fun way to get together and support each other and run for women, for Janes everywhere. I loved meeting Kerina - the Ambassador coordinator, and Shauna. I can't wait to meet all the ambassador's at another event in July. I was considering the See Jane Run Triathlon in October before I ran this event, and now I know I need to sign up for it. If it is as fun as this event I do not want to miss out!

Thank you See Jane Run for an amazing event. Thank you ambassadors for proudly sharing the Jane way of life. And thank you to everyone who made this race amazing and such a fun race. I hope to see you all again next year!

~Karen